Mood Rings and Mood Swings
by Gretchy Stretchy
Summary: Ron and Hermione care for each other, but they don't know how to say it. Ron struggles with trying to understand the female psyche, and Hermione becomes exasperated with males in general. To the song


Disclaimer: It's all J.K. Rowling's, except for the song "Mood Rings", which belongs to Relient K. I'm not making any money off of any of this either.

A/N: Thanks a million to Gufa, my Sugar Quill beta-reader, and to Rane (Eckeltricity), who went over the early drafts of this story with me on MSN Messenger.

****

Mood Rings and Mood Swings

We all know the girls

That I am talking about,

Well they are time bombs,

And they are ticking, 

And the only question's when

They'll blow up

Ron Weasley quickly glanced across the common room at her. She was engrossed in a book, as always. Hermione Granger, book lover extraordinaire. She looked so peaceful, so content, so completely immersed in the huge volume. To people that didn't know Hermione, it would seem like this was the way she always acted, innocent and serene. But Ron, having been one of her best friends for a good five years, knew better. Hermione could be full of concentrated bushy-haired fury when she wanted to be.

****

And they'll blow up,

We know that without a doubt,

'Cause they're those girls,

Yeah, you know those girls

That let their emotions 

Get the best of them

Oh yes, Hermione was very high-strung. Ron's favorite incident involving Hermione's exploding emotions was that memorable day in their third year when she had slapped Malfoy straight across the face. In fact, third year was the time when Ron had seen emotional Hermione the most--except for perhaps the Yule Ball fiasco, but he didn't really want to think about _that. _Aside from that night, Hermione had been more emotional in third year than Ron ever had seen (or would probably ever see) her. Slapping Malfoy, marching out and retrieving Harry's Invisibility Cloak right from the secret passage, walking out on Trelawney, calling her a fraud, the whole Crookshanks/Scabbers episode, reporting Harry's Firebolt to McGonagall, taking charge of Buckbeak's hearing…all at the age of thirteen.

****

And I've contrived

Some sort of a plan

To help my fellow man:

Ron had always wondered about Hermione, contemplating reasons why she was so moody all the time, besides the obvious mental problems that every girl had. If only he could read her mind, figure out when she was sad or angry and why, so he could avoid her wrath.

****

Let's get emotional girls

To all wear mood rings,

So we'll be tipped off,

To when they're ticked off,

'Cause we'll know just

What they're thinking,

'Cause what they're thinking

Girls had always been a mystery to Ron. Even Ginny, his sister, his own flesh and blood, baffled him at times. What exactly ran through their minds to make them act the way they did?

****

She's so pretty, but she

Doesn't always act that way,

Her mood's out swinging

On a swing set almost every day,

She said to me that she's

So happy it's depressing,

And all I said was,

"Someone get that girl a mood ring"

Hermione looked up suddenly from her book and noticed Ron watching her. He made her so angry sometimes! Why couldn't he just mind his own business? 

Ron realized she was looking back, and his eyes quickly turned back to his barely-touched Potions essay. 

Hermione continued watching him for a few seconds, then returned to her book with an exasperated sigh. He just didn't get it. She thought it was fairly obvious, even to a casual bystander, that Hermione cared for Ron.

If it's drama you want,

Then look no further,

They're like _The Real World_,

Meets _Boy Meets World_,

Meets _Days of Our Lives_

Ron stared at his essay, not concentrating a whit on Potions or anything Professor Snape had said during the lesson. His mind was focused on one thing: Hermione Granger. His feelings for her went far beyond those of friendship, but he didn't think she felt the same thing. His mind had gone around in circles many times before, trying to figure out what Hermione's sentiments towards him were. He'd reflect back on the Yule Ball in fourth year and the huge argument that followed it, and he'd begin to think that perhaps she cared for him more than he realized. Then he'd think about her behavior towards him on a day-to-day basis, and would, once again, conclude that Hermione's feelings about him were platonic.

****

And it just kills me how

They get away with murder,

They'll anger you, then

Bat their eyes, those pretty eyes

That watch you sympathize

Honestly, Hermione had to be the most complicated, difficult, and confusing female in all of Hogwarts. At least through Ron's eyes. The way he saw it, it was completely mind-boggling how she would blow up at him and/or Harry (but mostly at him) for seemingly no reason at all. Oh, if McGonagall only knew what Hermione really was like, how many rules she'd really broken. But no, anything that went wrong was never perfect prefect Hermione Granger's fault.

****

And I've contrived

Some sort of a plan

To help my fellow man:

Let's get emotional girls

To all wear mood rings,

So we'll be tipped off,

To when they're ticked off,

'Cause we'll know just

What they're thinking,

'Cause what they're thinking

Hermione sat, not reading a word on the page, deep in thought. 

Boys confused her so much, and that was definitely saying something--she was Hermione Granger; she was almost never confused about anything. It seemed that males were a problem she just wasn't capable of figuring out.

****

She's so pretty but she

Doesn't always act that way,

Her mood's out swinging

On a swing set almost every day,

She said to me that she's

So stressed out, it's soothing,

And all I said was, 

"Someone get that girl a mood ring"

Ron cared for her so much, and he wanted to tell her, somehow. He didn't know what he'd say or do, but he was determined. He tried not to think about what he'd do if she didn't feel the same way he did, because the thought was too painful. 

Hermione decided that enough was enough. She was going to set that boy straight once and for all. She didn't have a clue as to what she would tell him, how she would act. All she knew was that she had to do it, get it over with.

****

'Cause when it's black,

Then watch your back,

Because you're probably

The last person in the world

Right now she wants to see,

And when it's blue,

It means that you should

Call her up immediately 

And ask her out because

She'll most likely agree

Ron looked over at her again, and noticed that she appeared to be troubled and concentrating intently on something. Probably contemplating the best way to tell him off for not working on his Potions essay. If only she knew what he was really thinking about…all right, that was it. He had made up his mind. It was now or never. He was going to march right up to Hermione and tell her exactly how he felt about her. 

****

And when it's green

It simply means

That she is really stressed,

And when it's clear it means

She's completely emotionless,

And that's all right, 

I must confess 

Hermione noticed that Ron appeared to be thinking very hard, but she knew it wasn't about his Potions homework. He hadn't even touched his quill for over ten minutes! 

Right, she had to do it now, before she lost her nerve. All she had to do was stand up, walk over to where Ron was sitting, and let him know exactly how she felt about him. 

****

We all know the girls

That I am talking about

She liked you Wednesday,

But now it's Friday,

And she has to wash her hair

Ron was finally able to gather enough strength to rise from his chair and head across the common room towards Hermione, trying to think of something he could say.

Hermione saw Ron get up, and, because she thought he was leaving to go upstairs, she stood up quickly, trying to figure out what she was going to do.

****

And it just figures that

We'll never figure them out,

First she's Jekyll,

Then she's Hyde,

At least she makes a lovely pair

To Ron's surprise, Hermione approached him before he could reach her. She was standing about a foot away from him, and was clearly trying to tell him something important.

"Ron, I have something to tell you…I--"

****

Mood ring, oh mood ring,

Oh tell me, will you bring

The key to unlock this mystery

Hermione stopped Ron from (as she thought) going upstairs and started to speak her mind, but she was interrupted by his stammers.

"Umm…Her-Hermione…I don't know exactly how to tell you this, but I--"

****

Of girls and their emotions

Play it back in slow motion

So I may understand

The complex infrastructure 

Known as the female mind

"Ron…"

"Hermione…"

"I love you."

They looked at each other in shock. It was a little awkward, the two of them standing there, staring blankly, each trying to comprehend what the other had said. 

"Really?" Ron finally asked, thinking it was too good to be true.

"Yes, Ron, I do," Hermione said, trying not to sound too relieved.

"Wow," was the only thing he could think of to say. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Ron's lips on hers stifled her reply. She squeaked in surprise, but was smiling. She returned his kiss, then broke the embrace and said, "You know, Ron, I think you need some extra help on that Potions essay." She grinned, and looking at him in a way that she never had before.

"I do not need help…oh," Ron finally realizing what she meant by extra help. "Yes, that would be great. I haven't even started on this essay, it could take me hours."

"Goodnight, Ron," she sighed, an amused expression on her face. "Oh, and goodnight, Harry." Hermione then gathered her books and went up the stairs to the girl's dormitories before Ron could grasp what she had just said.

"HARRY!" Ron exclaimed, remembering that Harry was in the common room as well.

Harry Potter, who had been sitting in the corner the whole time, gave his best friend a knowing smirk.

"You're lucky, mate. At least yours wasn't crying when you kissed her," Harry said, anticipating the flying cushion Ron sent his way and dodging it with ease. 

"Shut up, Harry," Ron said, grinning broadly. "Just because I'm a better kisser does not mean you have to go around laughing at me."

"Just because I had a human hosepipe for a girlfriend doesn't mean I'm a bad kisser!"

"Sure Harry, whatever you say," said Ron as he collected his things, including his blank parchment that was supposed to be his essay, and started up the stairs to bed. He waited until he was a safe distance from Harry when he said, "I guess I'll just have to ask Ginny about the kissing part, eh?" Ron ran up the stairs before Harry's brain could register what he had just said.

"Ron!" Harry said irritably, then dashed up the stairs after him.

****


End file.
